Sign



P 1934- .7 w. .1. FLEEMAN Y 1,973,616

SIGN

Original Filed March 18, 1933 W I TVi'lliam JFleemlm Patented Sept. 11, 1934 SIGN William J. Fleeman, St. Joseph, Mo. 1

Application March 18, 1933, Serial N0. 661,606

Renewed April 18, 1934 I 8 Claims. (01. 49-440) This invention relates in general to signs, and more particularly has reference to that .type of signs in which previously prepared individual letters may be assembled to form whatever words may be desired and permanently secured in the proper relationship with respect to each other and with respect to a support.

In the past, lines of raised letters have been formed on a single bar of material having smooth j outer surfaces, and these bars of material with the letters integrally or permanently formed thereon have been secured to other supports in forming name plates and other types of signs. Also, letters have previously been made separate- 1 ly and have been individually attached to various supports in such a manner as to form said desired wording.

However, in the former instance it has been necessary that the bar of material having the 1 raised letters thereon be specially prepared with the desired wording in'view thus making it impossible ior one not properly equipped to pre* pare a sign therefrom without ordering the particular wording desired to be specially formed on 3 a. bar. Also, with respect to the last mentioned form, it has been necessary that the letters be individually applied to the support, and when thus applied they necessarily form a more or less irregular appearance, particularly in that the spaces between the letters do not present a smoothappearance or contour when viewed with the rest of the line.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a means whereby a bar of material may be formed from a plurality of separate letters, the entire assemblage presenting the appearance of a single bar of material having raised letters thereon.

Another object of this invention is to provide a means for mounting a plurality of separate blocks carrying letters thereon in such a manner that the means upon which these blocks are mounted will be entirely concealed by the letters and by other means presenting the same con- 1 tinuous contour as the blocks on which the letters are mounted.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device or the type set forth in which the va-, rious blocks and other members mountedon the 0 supporting means therefor may be secured to said supporting means and secured to a separate support memberwhich is to form the background for v the reading matter. It will be seen from the above that this inven' 5 tion also has for its object to secure all the advantages of a line of. letters integrally constructed, while at the same time making these. letters on individual blocks so' that they may be assembled in any order desired according to the wording which is to be formed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it being understood that the sameare by way of illustration and example only and are not to be. taken as in any way limiting the spirit or scope of this-invention. The spirit and scope of this inventionis to be limited only by the prior art taken in connection. with the accompanying claims. 7

Referring now more particularly to the drawing in which like numerals indicate corresponding partsthroughout:

Figure 1 is a front view illustrating a device made in accordancewith this invention secured in place upon a support.

Figure 2 is a view illustrating the method of assembling the various "members bearing the letters of this devicee t Figure 3 is a detail perspective view illustrating one of the elements of this invention.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective View illustrating one of the letters of the type going to make up this invention.

Figure 5 is a view illustrating a slightlyv modi-. fied form. r

In accordance with this invention, there are provided a'plurality of blocks 1 and 2' each of said blocks having on one face thereof a letter formed integral therewith. These letters may be formed by raised and lowered portions of the face of the blocks, or in any other suitable manner. As illustrated in Figure 2, the blocks 2. each have a single raised letter thereon which is designated by a numeral 3. Each of the blocksilv however 5 not only has a raisedletter 3 on its face,'but in addition to the raised. letter it has a space 4 between one side of the letter and one end of the block, this space serving to space the-letter on this block fromthe next block and hence from the next letter in the line of letters.

Each of the blocks 1 and 2 has a crosssecti-on which is substantially the same so that when the blocks are arranged in line. with'each other the end of one block will substantially register with the end of the adjacent block-,- and the whole will form the. appearance of a single bar of material. For the purpose of mounting: the blocks 1 and '2, and securing them inproper'relationship with respect to each other, each of 1 theseblocks is provided with an opening 5 longitudinally thereof for the purpose of receiving a bar support 6 adapted to extend through these openings and support a line of the blocks 1 and 2. As illus- 5 trated the openings 5 in the respective blocks are positioned in relatively the same manner with respect to each block whereby when a series of these blocks are mounted on the supporting bar 6 they will be supported with their sides and corners in registering position and present a smooth outline appearance.

For the purpose of securing the blocks 1 and 2 upon the supporting bar 6, and at the same time for the purpose of finishing oif the end of the line and substantially concealing the supporting bar to give the assemblage of letters the appearance of a single bar of material carrying theletters thereon there are provided a pair of cap members '7. One end of each of these cap members is of a shape and size to substantially register with -the end of one of the blocks .1 or 2, the opposite end of each'member '7 however being rounded ofi so as to form a rounded end for the line of blocks. These cap members '7 are provided with 25.) openings 8 therethrough for the purpose of receiving the ends of the supporting bar 6, and the ends of the supporting bar are cut off and rounded at 9 so as to conform with the curved contour of the ends of the members 7. Moreover, 30; the ends of the supporting bar 6 are each provided with a hole'10 extending therethrough, and each of the cap members '7 is provided with an opening 11 extending therethrough and-adapted to register with the corresponding openings in the supporting bar 6 when the cap members are in normal position. After the line-of the letters have been assembled in the manner pre-' viously set forth, the cap members '7 may be secured in place by inserting bolts or other secur- 40; ing means through the openings 10 and 11, or

the entire assemblage may be secured to a supporting plate or wall 12 by means of screws or bolts 13 adapted to pass through the openings 10 and 11 respectively and to engage with the mem- 5 ber 12 for the purpose of securing the entire assemblage thereto.

As above described, the form illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 4 shows the letters beside of which spaces are required as having blank portions on the supporting blocks for the purpose of forming these spaces. However, it is readily conceivable that under certain circumstances a situation might arise in which the desired letter with a space integral therewith would not be available, and it is therefore pointed out that these spaces may be provided by separate spacing blocks 14 adapted to be inserted between the letter carrying blocks 2 which have no integral spacing por tion annexed thereto. The spaces 14 as illustrated in Figure' 5 will serve substantially the same purpose as those which are integral with the letter blocks, except for the slight additional labor involved in assembling the parts.

From the above, it will be seen that'a means has been provided for carrying out all of the objects of this invention in a thoroughly practical and inexpensive manner, and at the same time providing a sign which is neat and pleasing in appearance and substantially permanent in its nature.

What I claim is:-

. 1. In a device of the character described, a sup port bar of rectangular. cross section, a pluralityv of blocks of identical'cross section each having 1 5 a'rectangular opening therethrough .of a size to receive said bar, a pair of cap members each having one end of the same cross section as one of said blocks and having its other end round to form a smooth end for the line of blocks, said cap members each having a rectangular opening therein of a size to receive an end of said bar, said cap members and the ends of said bar having transverse registering openings therethrough, and means extending through said openings for securing said cap members and said blocks on said support bar, said blocks each havinga single selected character integral therewith on one face thereof, and certain of said blocks also having blank spaces thereon for the purpose of spacing the character thereon from the character on the next adjacent block, whereby the composite structure will be in effect a single bar of material having a line of interchangeable properly spaced selected characters on one face thereof.

' 2. In a'deviceof the character described, asupport bar of rectangular cross section; a plurality of blocks of identical cross section each having a. rectangularopening therethrough of a size to receive said bar,. a pair of cap members each having one end of the same cross section as "one of said blocks and having its other end round to form a smooth end for the line of blocks, said cap members each having a rectangular opening therein of a size to receive an end of said bar, said cap members and the ends of said bar having transverse registering openings therethrough, and. means extending through said openings for securing said cap members and said blocks on said support bar, .certain of said blocks each having a single selected character. integral therewith on one face thereof, and the remainder of said blocks having their corresponding faces blank for spacing said characters from each other, whereby the composite structure will be in effect a single bar of material having. a line of interchangeable properly spaced selected characters on one face thereof.

3. In a device of the character described, a

support bar of rectangular cross section, aplurality of blocks of identical cross section, each having a rectangular opening therethrcugh of a size to receive said bar, a pair of capmember's' each having one end of the same cross section as one of said blocks and having its other end round to form a smooth end for the line of blocks, said cap members each having a rectangular opening therein of a size to receive an. end of said bar, said cap members and the ends of said bar having transverse registeringopenings therethrough, and means extending through said openings for securing said cap members-and said blocks on said support bar, said blocks having selected charactersand spaces thereon, each character being on a separate block from the other characters,- 13 whereby the composite structure will be in effect a single bar of material having'aline of interchangeable properly spaced selected characters on one face thereof. 1

' 4. In a device of the character described, a non-circular support bar, a plurality of blocks of identical crosssection each having an opening therethrough of a size and shape to receive said bar, a pair of cap members each' having oneend of the same cross section as one of said blocks and. having its other end finished off to form a smooth end for the line of blocks, said cap mem-. bers each having anopening therein of a size d hap ww ec ir n a re .Se r and means for securing said cap members to the ends of said bar, said blocks each having a single selected character integral therewith on one face thereof, and certain of said blocks also having blank spaces thereon for the purpose of spacing the character thereon from the character on the next adjacent block.

5. In a device of the character described, a non-circular support bar, a plurality of blocks of identical cross section each having an opening therethrough of a size and shape to receive said bar, a pair of cap members each having one end of the same cross section as one of said blocks and having its other end finished off to form a smooth end for the line of blocks, said cap members each having an opening therein of a size and shape to receive an end of said bar, and means for securing said cap members to the ends of said bar, certain of said blocks each having a single selected character integral therewith on one face thereof and the remainder of said blocks having their corresponding faces blank for spacing said characters from each other.

6. In a device of the character described, a non-circular support bar, a plurality of blocks of identical cross section each having an opening therethrough of a size and shape to receive said bar, a pair of cap members each having one end of the same cross section as one of said blocks and having its other end finished oil to form a smooth end for the line of blocks, said cap members each having an opening therein of a size and shape to receive an end of said bar, and means for securing said cap members to the ends of said bar, said blocks having selected characters and spaces thereon, each character being on a separate block from the other characters.

7. In a device of the character described, a non-circular support bar, a plurality of blocks of identical cross section non-rotatably supported on said bar intermediate its ends, a pair of cap members non-rotatably supported on the ends of said bar, said cap members each having a cross section at one end identical with the cross section of said blocks and having its other end rounded to form a rounded end for the line of blocks, and means extending through each of said cap members and the corresponding end of said bar to secure the cap members on the bar, said means also extending laterally from said cap members for securing the assemblage to a supporting structure, said blocks having selected characters and spaces thereon, each character being on a separate block from the other characters.

8. In a device of the character described, a non-circular support bar, a plurality of blocks of identical cross section non-rotatably supported on said bar intermediate its ends, a pair of cap members non-rotatably supported on the ends of said bar, said cap members each having a cross section at one end identical with the cross section of said blocks and having its other end rounded to form a rounded end for the line of blocks, and means extending through each of said cap members and the corresponding end of said bar to secure the cap members on the bar, said blocks having selected characters and spaces thereon, each character being on a separate block from the other characters.

WILLIAM J. FLEEMAN. 

